The Oakland Post 12.5.18

OAKLAND POST THE

Oakland University’s Independent Student Newspaper

Dec. 5, 2018

ALL DECKED OUT Meadow Brook Hall boasts holiday flair for everyone who visits PAGE 10

MILLION DOLLAR GIFT

Ted Lindsay gives surprise donation to OU Autism Outreach Center PAGE 4 Photo by Nicole Morsfield / The Oakland Post

INSIGHT LANDS

NASA probe to investigate Mars below the soil PAGE 7

WHAT THE PUCK?

The facts and discussion behind the hockey pucks distribution PAGES 8 & 9

thisweek

ontheweb The Oakland Post covers the Hanukkah party held at President Pescovitz’ home, Sunset Terrace, with a photo spread.

PHOTO/RYAN PINI

www.oaklandpostonline.com

December 5, 2018 // Volume 44 Issue 13

POLL OF THE WEEK Are you ready for finals week?

A

Catch me in Kresge 24/7

B

I’m scared for my life

C

I won’t sleep for days

D

Studying is overrated anyways

Vote at www.oaklandpostonline.com

LAST WEEK’S POLL How did you spend your Thanksgiving break?

A) There was a break?

19 votes | 40%

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

B) Sleep, sleep, sleep 16 votes | 33% C) Eating until comatose 8 votes | 17%

HAPPY HOLIDAYS // During the Hanukkah party, the menorah was lit. The menorah has nine candles that are lit to signify the Jewish miracle. This year, Hanukkah began Sunday, Dec. 2 and will last until Monday, Dec. 10. RYAN PINI // The Oakland Post

D) Prepping for exam week hell 5 votes | 10%

Submit a photo to editor@oaklandpostonline.com to be featured. View all submissions at oaklandpostonline.com

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY DECEMBER 3, 2014 Wind blew the siding off of the Engineering Center, which was under construction at the time.

6 TAC PAC KITS FOR ALL

As part of the Hartford Consensus, OU puts 96 TAC PAC Standard Kits around campus.

Photo/Nicole Morsfield

BY THE NUMBERS OAKLAND VS. XAVIER

12

DECEMBER 3, 2007 An OU student was able to flee an attempted armed robbery when he pressed the panic button on his car.

13

DOLCE & GABBANA

The company faced immense backlash from the public after an artistic stunt gone wrong.

4/6 Braden Norris on three point shots

THE GANG TRAVELS

DECEMBER 10, 1990 Commuter students were forced to cut back on gasoline usage during the Iraq war as prices rose from 98 cents to $1.35 per gallon.

Grizz Gang and SPB followed their beloved Golden Grizzlies on a roadtrip to Cincinnati.

Photo/Bob Stevens

37 minutes logged by both Norris and Jaevin Cumberland

9 total hours spent on buses by the Grizz Gang SPB Bus

11 total three point shots made www.goldengrizzlies.com

Looking Back

O

OAKLAND

THE

God comes to OU, and student gets shot at after failed drug deal

THE

P

POST

Address 63 Oakland Center, Rochester, MI 48306 Phone 248.370.2537 or 248.370.4268 Web www.oaklandpostonline.com Email editor@oaklandpostonline.com

editorial board AuJenee Hirsch

Editor-in-Chief editor@oaklandpostonline.com 248.370.4268

Laurel Kraus

Managing Editor lmkraus@oakland.edu 248.370.2537

Elyse Gregory

Photo Editor emgregory@oakland.edu 248.370.4266

The Oakland Post Archives

Patrick Sullivan Web Editor

G

od Comes to OU September, 1988

A 19 year old Rochester Hills man was arrested on campus in August 1988, after allegedly assaulting a police officer. That man had no identification and refused to tell the arresting officer his name, only identifying himself as “God”.

After a suspicious person was reported walking around campus, OUPD officer David Birkholz went to look into the issue and came across the individual, whose name was not revealed in The Oakland Post.

The man that said he was “God” reportedly did not have any identification and refused to cooperate with officer Birkholz. Eventually the man became aggressive, and managed to run away from Birkholz in this initial encounter.

This was the start of a cat and mouse game between the aggressor and OUPD, with “God” being caught again on Meadowbrook Road, but again running away from Birkholz after striking the officer in the face.

“God” was finally caught near Graham Health Center. As he was being handcuffed, he yelled out he was ‘God’, and “no cops would f--- with him”.

money from the deal.

Gilroy added he did not know for sure whether or not the incident happened, and the only evidence was the student’s statements.

“Friday night is a busy night on campus. We had patrolmen cruising campus who didn’t hear any gunshots and students who were out that didn’t hear any,” Gilroy said. He went on to add that the student had a history of mental health problems, and there may be a chance the student was making up the story in order to get attention.

However, Gilroy also said when speaking to the police from the student’s hometown they revealed he was known as being a dealer when he went home on the weekends.

Gilroy informed Oakland County narcotics officials of the deal, and to keep their eye out for large quantities of LSD just in case.

www.oaklandpostonline.com

Trevor Tyle Life Editor ttyle@oakland.edu Michael Pearce Sports Editor mpearce@oakland.edu Jessica Leydet Social Media Editor jcleydet@oakland.edu

writers Jordan Jewell Staff Reporter Benjamin Hume Staff Reporter Kaley Barnhill Staff Reporter Taylor Crumley Staff Reporter Dean Vaglia Staff Reporter Jonathan Savich Staff Reporter Bridget Janis Staff Reporter Devin Boatwright Staff Intern

advertising

Whiteney Roemer Ads Director ads@oaklandpostonline.com 248.370.4269 Angela Gebert Ads Assistant

Katie LaDuke Chief Copy Editor Mina Fuqua Copy Editor Alexa Caccamo Copy Editor Jessica Trudeau Copy Editor Prakhya Chilukuri Graphic Assistant Erin O’Neill Graphic Designer Ryan Pini Photographer Nicole Morsfield Photographer Samuel Summers Photographer Sergio Montanez Photographer

distribution Kat Malokofsky Distribution Director Alexander Pham Distributor Desirae Tibaudo Distributor Ian Panasuk Distributor

advising Garry Gilbert Editorial Adviser gjgilber@oakland.edu 248.370.2105 Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu 248.370.2533

follow us on Snapchat follow us on Twitter theoaklandpost @theoaklandpost follow us on Instagram @theoaklandpost find us on Issuu issuu.com/op86 find us on Facebook facebook.com/theoakpost

Oakland student gets shot at after failed drug deal March, 1987

A student told the Oakland University Police Department that he was shot at after a drug deal involving LSD fell through.

According to Mel Gilroy, the assistant director of Public Safety at the time, the student was a middle man in a drug deal gone wrong. Apparently the student has received 10,000 to 15,000 hits of LSD from one party and then delivered them to another party.

The student went on to say the first party shot at him because the student did not have the

Web Editor ptsullivan@oakland.edu

copy & visual

editors Katarina Kovac Campus Editor katarinakovac@oakland.edu

A person by the name “God” did not have proper identification and refused to cooperate with campus police.

Patrick Sullivan

The Oakland Post archives

A failed drug deal involving LSD led to a shooting.

The Oakland Post // December 5, 2018

3

Campus OUCARES receives $1 million donation from Ted Lindsay Foundation Jordan Jewell Staff Reporter

T

he Ted Lindsay Foundation has made a $1 million donation to Oakland University’s Center for Autism Outreach Services (OUCARES).

The foundation was established in 2001 by Ted Lindsay and John Czarnecki.

Lindsay is a former Red Wings hockey player. Now 93 years old, he has a passion for supporting research and education for people with autism.

Czarnecki, a close friend of the Lindsay family, has a son with autism and helped co-found the foundation.

OUCARES has now changed its name to Joanne and Ted Lindsay Foundation Autism Outreach Services at Oakland University, a decision that OUCARES Director Kristin Rohrbeck said was meant to commemorate the gift.

“OUCARES developed a great relationship with the foundation over the past few years,” Rohrbeck

said. “We want to make sure that the kindness, caring and generosity of Joanne and Ted Lindsay, as well as the Ted Lindsay Foundation, will have a lasting presence at Oakland University.”

In addition to being an important staple on campus for students with autism, OUCARES also equips faculty with ways of improving these students’ learning experiences.

Throughout the year, OUCARES hosts events, like their recent Temple Grandin presentation, and offer camps and training to help students with autism and their families. Each year, they are responsible for placing 10–25 students in internships, or practicum training.

“The Ted Lindsay Foundation board was very impressed by the quality of programs we offer the autism community,” Rohrbeck said. “They also recognized the lack of programs for people with autism as they age, so they were looking to partner with an organization with a track record

of successful programming for people with autism beyond early childhood.”

Rohrbeck called the donation from the Ted Lindsay Foundation a “game changer.” The center plans to use this money to offer scholarships and develop programs specifically for teens and young adults with autism.

“Most of the generous pledge will be going into an endowment so that their impact will be in perpetuity on our autism programming,” Rohrbeck said. “Programs that will be directly supported by the gift include recreational sports, social skills, employment readiness training, life skills programs and summer camps for teens and adults with autism, as well as parent supports for their families.”

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in 59 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a number that is rapidly increasing. OUCARES provides services to more

Rates:

63 Oakland Center 312 Meadow Brook Road Rochester, MI 48309

$0.35 per word ($7 min.)

Unlimited Frequency STUDENT DISCOUNTS

Call or email us and place your ad today! ads@oaklandpostonline.com | 248.370.4269

HELP WANTED: VALET PARKING

Valet parking attendants, must be 21 or older, must know how to drive a stick-shift, make up to $30/hour (248) 740-0900 or apply online at http://firstclassvalet.com/valet-parking/ employment-application

Need something?

Want something Want to provide something?

4

December 5, 2018 // The Oakland Post

than 2,300 individuals directly affected by autism.

“I hope that our support will not only help individuals with autism to be more active socially in OUCARES programs, but that it will have a positive impact on the entire family of the person who is involved at OUCARES,” Lindsay said in a press release. “We know that autism doesn’t only impact

individuals, it impacts parents, caregivers, siblings and many others who support the person with autism.”

The Joanne and Ted Lindsay Foundation Autism Outreach Services is located in room 425C of Pawley Hall. For information about support, education or donations, visit the OUCARES website.

POLICE FILES

Classifieds

ADVERTISE ANYTHING*

Photo courtesy of Oakland University

Ted Lindsay, one of the founders of the Ted Lindsay Foundation, created the foundation with John Czarnecki in hopes of helping kids with autism.

Books Cars Garage Sales Rent

Babysitting Help Wanted Carpools Misc., etc.

Sleep study session

Two Oakland University Police Department officers were dispatched to the Engineering Center on the morning of Friday, Oct. 26. They were answering a call claiming there were campers on the third floor.

Upon arriving at around 9:30 a.m., the officers found a sleeping group of people who, after waking, confirmed they were current OU students.

They told the officers they were up late studying and were tired.

Sometime during the night, the students had rearranged the chairs around them to be able to lay down on them. The officers advised they put the furniture back in its original place when they leave for classes.

The students agreed, and the officers cleared without any further incident.

Table thieves

A student living in Hillcrest Hall made a report of two possible stolen end tables on Thursday, Oct. 25. She stated that on Oct. 15, she and a friend had placed two black end tables near the Nightwatch station in Hillcrest. When they returned shortly after midnight, they noticed them missing.

The student stated the value for both end tables may be $100, and believed someone may have stolen them. Video cameras reviewed by officers showed her and a friend walking into Hillcrest at 10 p.m. with the tables, and footage was watched until an hour after the two students returned. There was no sign of the end tables leaving the building or going past nightwatch. The suspect is still unknown.

Compiled by Ben Hume, Staff Reporter

www.oaklandpostonline.com

Campus

Senior Thesis Exhibition features thoughtful pieces Kaley Barnhill Staff Reporter

T

he art gallery at Oakland University is bustling with excitement and energy as seniors prepare to install and feature their work for the upcoming exhibition.

The Senior Thesis Exhibition runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 at the OU Art Gallery in Wilson Hall.

“Senior Thesis students know that the goal is to get their work selected for an exhibition at the end of the semester,” Dick Goody, director of OU Art Gallery and department chair of art and art history explained via email. “About a month ago, faculty juried the best work into the show. The selected students then discussed with their professors the best way to engineer their work so that it could be installed to meet museum standards and practices for exhibition. Regardless of whether they are in the show or not, all the students’ work appears in the Senior Thesis catalogue, which is a substantial 60 page book.”

According to Goody, the jurying process mirrors how it is in the real world of art criticism, so it’s been a proper way to measure success.

Gabriella Randazzo, a graphic design

major, was inspired by her visit to Sicily over the summer and the cafes she went to while there. She created labels for wine bottles and coffee cups, as well as wallpaper.

“My thesis… [mixes] contemporary elements with classical aesthetic,” Randazzo said.

Mason Cavanaugh, also a graphic design major, said that his thesis project is focusing on graphic design as a tool for promoting and branding clothing companies.

His portion of the exhibit featured a large advertisement and look books.

“I guess I’m driven by the influence of fashion and style...and the crossover between art, design and fashion,” Cavanaugh said.

Jacqueline Stoner’s photography project featured close-ups of different body parts with color filters. The combination made the photos look almost like landscapes. Stoner said she was inspired by Edward Weston.

“I also did close ups because you can see like the cracks in the skin and the hairs sticking up. It makes it so you don’t know it’s a human body or figure,” Stoner said. “So, I want people to question and use their imagination.”

Paige Roberts’ thesis was about sexual assault survivors, including herself. For her project, she took head-on, full body photos

Samuel Summers / The Oakland Post

Mason Cavanaugh created a large advertisement and look books to be featured in the exhibit.

of her subjects on a white background. She then had each survivor write their stories in their own handwriting, and placed various flaps on the photographs that blended into the photo. In order to view the stories, viewers can lift the flaps.

“Their stories that are normally hidden are being revealed,” Roberts said.

Roberts put out the call for volunteers during the Kavanaugh trial, and had a big response, but many people felt there was no point in participating after he was confirmed, conveying the effect social issues

have on art.

“I considered not doing it...but I think that everything that was going on made it more important to do right now,” Roberts said.

Goody explained in email that seeing the inception of an idea go from an “... initial hunch or decisive moment to something that can be enacted into a fully-realized artwork” is extremely worthwhile. “It’s always the spark of an independent idea that I find so exciting. To foster that ‘YES!’ moment is something special.”

World Music and Latin Jazz concerts celebrate global music Bridget Janis Staff Reporter

S

tudents at Oakland University came together this past weekend to learn about and listen to music from different parts of the world.

The World Music Concert on Friday, Nov. 30 shared music from East Africa, and the Latin Jazz Concert on Saturday, Dec. 1 shared music from the Caribbean and United States.

“It’s an opportunity to learn about music and to experience something of a culture from another part of the world that many students might not have previously experienced,” said Mark Stone, ensemble director and associate professor of world music and percussion at Oakland University.

Regina Carter, a renowned jazz violinist, was featured throughout both of these concerts. Carter is also an OU alumnus who earned her bachelor’s degree in music in 1985. She has been an artist-in-residence in the School of Music Theatre www.oaklandpostonline.com

and Dance for OU for the past 10 years.

“I really love coming back to OU performing,” Carter said. “I had a really rich education when I was a here as a student. My big band teacher back then would bring in a lot of guest artists from Detroit to work with us. So, for me, I’m trying to carry on that tradition and come back and work with the students as well.

The students are really enthusiastic, really talented and really work hard.”

The World Music concert also featured James Isabirye, a current Ph.D. student from Uganda.

He has shared some of his traditions from Uganda with OU students over the past two years.

“As a doctoral student at Oakland University, he not only learned through his doctoral degree, but he also had an opportunity to share his knowledge of Ugandan music with our students,” Stone said. “And then, of course, at the concert, he had the opportunity to share his music with a wider audience.”

During the World Music Con-

cert, the Akwaaba African Ensemble and Ngoma World Percussion Ensemble performed traditional Ugandan songs from the kingdoms of Buganda and Busoga, as well as traditional music from Ugandan villages and songs Stone encountered in his own research on the country.

The performance included traditional Ugandan instruments such as the embaire xylophone, tamenhaibuga drums, bigwala trumpets of the Busoga kingdom and the entenga drums of the Buganda kingdom.

During the Latin Jazz Concert, the OU Jazz Band, Pan-Jumbies Steel Band and Ngoma World Percussion Ensemble featured Carter and Miguel Gutierrez, a Latin percussionist from metro Detroit.

For the first half of the program, the Pan-Jumbies Steel Band performed compositions from Cuba arranged by Patrick Fitzgibbon featuring Carter and Gutierrez. The performance also featured “Rio Roja,” an original piece written specifically for the concert by OU faculty member

Sergio Montanez / The Oakland Post

These recurring concerts continue the tradition of bringing in guest artists.

Terry Herald.

“I’m playing with the Steel Band Ensemble and their professor wrote some arrangements on some tunes I had recorded some years back, some Latin tunes, which is fun to hear on steel pans,” Carter said before the performance. “For the big band, the whole thing is Latin music. It’s nice to be able to perform some tunes I know and some tunes that are new for me, and also to have the chorus involved in a couple tunes.”

The World Music and Jazz

Concerts have been performed toward the end of every semester since Marvin “Doc” Holladay started these programs in 1972.

The students work for the entire semester to prepare for these concerts.

“At the end of the day, these concerts are successful because of the incredible work of our students,” Stone said. “These concerts are about our students, and they did a wonderful job and they worked hard all semester to make the program a success.”

The Oakland Post // December 5, 2018

5

Campus

OU is first university to achieve phase one of Hartford Consensus EMAC supplies campus with 94 TAC PAC Standard Kits and offers trainings Laurel Kraus Managing Editor

A

round 60,000 Americans die each year from hemorrhaging, or blood loss, according to a 2018 study by The New England Journal of Medicine.

In response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, the Hartford Consensus was formed, which is a national three phase approach to increasing the number of survivors in mass casualty and active shooter situations.

While only one elementary school in the United States is fully compliant with all three phases, the Emergency Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) at Oakland University began working toward this goal on March 31, 2017, National Stop the Bleed Day. Phase one, which OU has recently achieved, consists of placing a TAC PAC Standard Kit, containing tourniquets, gauze and more, in all 50 public AED cabinets on campus as well as offering Bleeding Control (BCON) classes for students, staff, faculty and members of the surrounding community.

“We’re the first university in the State of Michigan to fully comply with phase one of the Hartford Consensus, and that’s big for us,” said Michael Crum, Emergency Manager for the Oakland University Police Department (OUPD).

As of Wednesday, Dec. 5, 650 members of the OU community have been trained in the immediate response to

Nicole Morsfield / The Oakland Post

Kenneth Kiley demonstrates a technique in the BCON training on Monday, Nov.19. The next session will be Monday, Dec. 10.

bleeding, recognizing life threatening bleeding and the appropriate ways to stop it.

One important focus of the training is to re-educate people on the use of tourniquets. For example, a global three-year study by the American College of Surgeons found that if a tourniquet is removed within two hours, 0 percent of people lost their arm or leg, while within six hours it was only a contributing factor for 1 percent of people.

Phase two of the Hartford Consensus, which EMAC is currently working on, involves getting larger numbers of TAC PAC Standard Kits into large gathering places on campus such as The O’rena, the Oakland Center, the cafeterias, Meadow Brook Theatre and more.

There are currently 94 kits on campus, and with basketball and commencements coming up, the O’rena has been filled first. EMAC is now in the process of adding kits to Housing at each Nightwatch station, with RAs and RDs, etc.

Phase three, which Crum considers a big goal for a large university, will be making it so an immediate responder can get a kit to an injured person anywhere on campus within three minutes.

“The help given by an immediate responder can often make the difference between life and death,” said Chris Dilbert III, one of the captains for Oakland University’s student-run First Aid Support Team (FAST). “Within five minutes a person can bleed out.”

The kits can be identified across campus by a TAC PAC sticker on doors and AED cabinets.

“The only thing more tragic than a death is a death that could have been prevented,” Dilbert said, stating the motto of BleedingControl.org. “As corny as that sounds, it is very true.”

The next BCON training will be on Monday, Dec. 10 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 2018 of the Human Health Building.

Visit OUPD’s BCON page to register, go to BleedingControl.org for more information.

“Toys for Tickets” to help the Children’s Hospital of Michigan Campus police spread holiday cheer and generousity to kids and students at Oakland Dean Vaglia Staff Reporter

I

n the season of giving, the Oakland University Police Department (OUPD) is feeling extra generous.

OUPD is taking part in the Children’s Hospital of Michigan’s Snowpile toy drive—their third year doing so. What sets this year apart is the new “Toys for Tickets” program.

“You can bring in a ticket and it will be voided if you bring in a toy that is valued above or at least $10,” said OUPD Administrative Lieutenant Nicole Thompson.

Before you go parking while armed with a Tickle Me Elmo, be aware that there is fine print to this get out of jail free card. Only one ticket per person can be forgiven, and late fees still need to be paid.

“The ticket has to be issued prior to Dec. 1, and this is going to run Dec. 1 through 10,” Thompson said.

Handicap parking violations are

6

December 5, 2018 // The Oakland Post

not able to be forgiven, and item receipts should be kept as item value is at the discretion of parking enforcement. However, all non-handicap violation tickets are open to be forgiven.

Students wishing to utilize “Toys for Tickets” must present the toy and the ticket at OUPD’s physical parking enforcement window between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is also where students seeking to donate can drop off items in a box outside of the dispatch window.

Students and faculty on campus that are unable to get over to OUPD can call or email Thompson to have a service aide come pick the item up.

“We want to take out any of the barriers that any students, faculty or staff would have,” Thompson said.

While a full list of items the Children’s Hospital wants can be found in the OUPD press release, there are items and materials that are not suitable for donation. These banned items

“You can bring in a ticket and it will be voided if you bring in a toy that is valued above or at least $10. The ticket has to be issued prior to Dec.1, and this is going to run Dec.1 through 10.”

Nicole Thompson OUPD Administrative Lieutenant include used toys, toys that depict violence, items containing rubber latex (only vinyl items are permitted), art supplies not made by Crayola or Rose Art, food items and anything bought from dollar stores.

Some non-toy items like gift cards, batteries, CDs and sandwich bags are

allowed. Money can also be donated through the OUPD dispatch window.

“The reason that [The Children’s Hospital] donate these toys is so parents don’t have to worry about leaving their child’s bedside if they have a sick child to go out shopping,” Thompson said. “The parents get to go shopping right within the hospital.

They go down and pick out the toys that they want and get them wrapped - and not even just for the children that are sick, but the siblings as well.”

Pre-business administration student Sanjay Antani sees “Toys for Tickets” as a way to help people all around.

“Since I don’t have an outstanding ticket, [‘Toys for Tickets’] doesn’t impact me directly,” Antani said. “But since people sometimes get tickets for small parking offenses, with no prior offences, it does provide people with a good chance to give to a good cause while also forgiving them for a small mistake.” www.oaklandpostonline.com

Life NASA make moves on Mars with new spacecraft Taylor Crumley Staff Reporter

T

he National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) spacecraft InSight finished its six month, 300 million mile journey with a successful landing on the red planet, Mars last Monday, Nov. 26. This marks the eighth successful landing of a NASA spacecraft on Mars and the first landing for NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine.

According to NASA, the Lockheed Martin Space control center in Denver had about 30 engineers and other employees working together non-stop to safely land the craft.

The extensive journey across space was the easy part for engineers at the control center. The most difficult part comes in the seven minutes before landing. These seven minutes are known as E.D.L., or entry, descent, landing. These few minutes are very intense, as even the smallest mistake could ruin the over $800 million mission.

InSight entered Mars’ sub-zero atmosphere going 12,300 miles per hour, using a parachute to bring it to a safe landing on the vast plain known as Elysium Planitia near Mars’ equator.

“The atmosphere of Mars is 1 percent that of our own, and mostly carbon dioxide,” said Dr. Steffan Puwal, a visiting professor in the Oakland University Department of Physics.

Now that InSight has comfortably landed on Martian surface for its two-year stay, it can begin working on discovering things that no other craft has done before.

www.oaklandpostonline.com

Photo courtesy of NASA

InSight is the eighth successful landing on Mars by NASA.

InSight stands for Interior Exploration Using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport. According to NASA, the craft is equipped with cutting-edge instruments to measure the planet’s vital signs: seismology, heat flow and precision tracking.

“They have a seismometer and will also drill into the surface to measure the temperature below the soil,” said Dr. David Garfinkle, a professor in the OU Department of Physics. “They want to know whether there is seismic

activity, what is the rate of heat flow, and whether the core of the planet is solid or liquid.”

Scientists know a lot about the surface and atmosphere of mars, but near nothing about what is under the surface. This will be the first mission that studies the interior of mars in order to map out the deep structure of the planet.

“Mars is somewhat similar to the Earth, but it has no plate tectonics and instead has a gigantic volcano, and a much weaker magnetic field,” Garfinkle said. “That suggests that its interior works somewhat differently from that of the Earth.”

NASA states that the two main missions of InSight are to learn how the rocky planet of Mars came to form in space and to better understand the tectonic activity that occurs. This includes investigating things like the temperature of the inside and the composition of the core, mantle and crust.

“The announcement by NASA that water in liquid form was found beneath the surface suggests it is possible for Martian bacteria or similarly simple organisms to exist,” Puwal said in regard to the possibility of martian life. “If we find evidence that life existed on Mars, or if it still does, I think it will be the most significant and humbling discovery in human history.”

The information that will be gathered from InSight will give scientists a more in-depth analysis of how other celestial bodies were formed, considering all we know about is Earth.

You can follow InSight’s martian adventures and stay up to date on new discoveries on its Twitter account @NASAInSight.

The Oakland Post // December 5, 2018

7

The real story

behind the hockey pucks

Story and design by AuJenee Hirsch // Photo illustrations by Elyse Gregory and Erin O’Neill

T

he sound of gunshots are heard across a university’s campus. Instantly students are alerted there’s an active shooter on campus.

It is what many would believe to be the worst possible situation to happen on a university campus. Over the past 11 months, active shooter situations on school grounds have been occurring at an alarming rate. As of Nov. 29, 2018 there has been a total of 86 school shootings according to Everytown Gun Safety.

8

December 5, 2018 // The Oakland Post

www.oaklandpostonline.com

The main concern with OUSC and OUAAUP is the need to change the locks on doors from outer locks to inner locks.

If faculty steps outside to lock the door they are potentially putting themselves in the line of fire and alerting the active shooter there are students in a classroom.

“I am frustrated with how there was a great deal of misreporting that went on and how the major news networks like CNN, even The Detroit Free Press, ran articles that were just outright wrong about how we were arming and training teachers.”

Oakland University Student Congress President Ryan Fox The sound of gunshots are heard across a university’s campus. Instantly students are alerted there’s an active shooter on campus.

It is what many would believe to be the worst possible situation to happen on a university campus. Over the past 11 months, active shooter situations on school grounds have been occuring at an alarming rate. As of Nov. 29, 2018 there have been a total of 86 school shootings according to Everytown Gun Safety.

A bill is passed On Oct. 1, 2018, Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) passed C.B. 19-09, “a Bill to improve defenses against an active shooter at Oakland University through the purchase of door locks for classroom doors,” according to the public document.

OUSC felt the need to draft the bill after speaking with Tom Discenna, president of Oakland University’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (OUAAUP) about the issue with OU’s classroom door locks.

“They explained the safety issue that the current door locks created,” former OUSC Judiciary Chair Tyler Fox said. “Basically with the current door locks, if a professor steps out into the hallway to lock the door, they potentially put themselves in the line of fire while also alerting a shooter: Hey! There’s a bunch of kids in this classroom they were trying to lock. So all around it’s a very unsafe situation with the door locks.”

The bill was sponsored by Tyler Fox and brought to the OUSC legislators with support from OUSC Vice President Brittany Kleinschmidt, OUSC Legislator Julia Alexander, and OUSC President and Tyler Fox’s twin brother, Ryan Fox. Bill C.B. 19-09 was unanimously passed by every legislature in OUSC and put into motion.

Hockey pucks for bucks With the passing of the bill, OUSC and OUAAUP teamed up to fundraise money to replace the current door locks on campus. The union came up with the idea to raise the money using hockey pucks, an idea Oakland University Police Chief Mark Gordon mentioned in an active shooter training session with OU faculty. It is www.oaklandpostonline.com

meant to be used as the last line of defense against an armed assailant.

“It was just kind of a spur-of-the-moment idea that seemed to have some merit to it and it kind of caught on,” Gordon said in an interview with Campus Safety Magazine. “[Hockey pucks] have enough mass to cause injury, small enough to be thrown, [are] portable and they’re not considered a weapon.”

Members of OUAAUP liked this idea and decided to purchase 800 hockey pucks for faculty and an additional 1,700 pucks for students. OUSC has also purchased an additional 1,000 hockey pucks for students. Each puck cost 94 cents and is labeled with an identification number for people to make a voluntary donation to change the door locks. The fundraiser is being conducted by the All University Fund Drive, and interested parties can put in the identification number 33395 in order to make a donation.

PR crisis or publicity stunt?

When news of the university handing out hockey pucks to use against an armed shooter, many national media outlets picked up the story, stating the university was telling faculty and students on campus to use these in the event of an armed shooter. However, according to Ryan Fox, this information is far from the truth.

“I am frustrated with how there was a great deal of misreporting that went on and how the major news networks like CNN, even The Detroit Free Press, ran articles that were just outright wrong about how we were arming and training teachers,” Ryan Fox said. “I mean for goodness sake, no sane person is going to think that’s the solution.”

Many members of the OU community believe the hockey pucks are just a publicity stunt for the university.

OUSC Student Services Director Mackenzie Hill confirmed this in an article on The College Fix, and in some ways it was according to Ryan Fox. “It certainly has elements of that in the sense we wanted to get publicity and we wanted draw attention, but it is to accomplish a practical goal,” he said. “Our goal isn’t to just to draw attention to student congress... This was just to accomplish a goal and I think we’ve done that to an extent, and really, I won’t consider it done to its fullest

extent until I know these door locks are getting paid for.”

Following the national media attention the hockey pucks got for Oakland, the university released a statement on its official Facebook page stating, “There have been efforts to raise funds to support the installation of additional interior locks on classroom doors. The University is also contributing to covering the cost of these additional locks. Oakland University wishes to emphasize and reiterate that the idea of fighting an armed attacker with a hockey puck was offered in the context of a last line of defense in an active shooter situation.”

The crux of the issue Despite all of the national attention on the use of the hockey pucks as a defense against an active shooter, many news organizations failed to touch on what the true issue at hand was for the OU community. The safety of OU students and faculty.

Many members of the OU community believe the university decided to make a contribution to the getting the door locks replaced simply because of attention the media gave to the issue.

“I don’t there’s anyone in OU’s administration that’s cackling in a corner going, ‘Haha! We’re just going to leave them unsafe.’ I don’t think there’s an evil villian per se,” Tyler Fox said. “It is disappointing to see that after the national attention, something that I would consider a bare minimum safety requirement isn’t being addressed.”

OUSC has set aside $5,000 to go toward changing the locks on all of the university doors according to bill C.B. 19-09.

“Overall, I hope that students understand that far more of student congress’ money went to door locks directly than to the fundraising efforts itself,” Ryan Fox said. “...Overall, we’re just hoping we’re going to be able to make OU safer, and really that’s what this is all about is trying to keep students safe.”

Despite all the efforts made for raising the money to improve campus safety, many wish Oakland would cover the rest of the cost to get the door locks replaced.

“Part of me wonders if we’ll have to go on CNN or something, and then OU will pay for them,” Tyler Fox said. “Apparently ‘The Daily Show’ isn’t enough.”

The Oakland Post // December 5, 2018

9

Life

Meadow Brook Holiday Walk lights up campus Taylor Crumley Staff Reporter

S

ome consider one of the most magical parts of the holiday season to be admiring the intricate light displays that many homes and businesses flaunt to spread holiday cheer.

In good spirit of the season, Meadow Brook Hall, the former home of Oakland University’s founder Matilda DodgeWilson, flashes an elegant display of lights for the community to enjoy. The four-story mansion is elaborately decorated from head to toe in sparkling shades of red and green.

“Before donating her estate for the founding of OU, she built her home to entertain, and we strive to keep that going,” said Faith Brody, external relations assistant at Meadow Brook Hall.

This will be the 47th year of the tradition, and the number of people that come to enjoy the festivities continues to grow each year. About 70,000 people attend throughout the season. The opening day, Friday, Nov. 23, hosted over 500 people.

“The Holiday Walk opened up the day after Thanksgiving and runs until Dec. 23,” Brody said. “It’s a self-guided tour of the mansion all decked out in holiday decor. There are over 50 decorated trees, including a live poinsettia tree in the sun-

Nicole Morsfield / The Oakland Post

The famous estate spreads cheer with tours of their sparkling decorations until Dec. 23.

room. Each room has a different theme, color scheme and something new.”

The historic landmark in lights, sponsored by Oakland University Credit Union, has much to offer this holiday season for students and families alike.

“My favorite part of the Holiday Walk is how the decor is different every year, it’s always a different experience,” said Stephanie Pini, the event coordinator for Meadow Brook Hall. “I’ve been there for five years, and feel like it just keeps getting bigger and better — I even put a mini

tree in my office to get into the spirit.”

Tours are usually available from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., except on Dec. 11, 17–20, 22 and 23, when touring will be available until 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in the museum shop from the time Meadow Brook Hall opens until one hour before closing time.

Along with the guided tour of the decorated Meadow Brook Hall, there will be various correlating events throughout the season to engage in with friends and family of all ages.

“On Dec. 11, we will be hosting OU Night, where all Oakland staff, alumni and faculty can tour for $12 instead of $20 for adults,” Brody said. “Students can tour for $5 until December 20, and students can take regular tours free throughout the year.”

On the nights with extended hours, there will be bonfires, strolling carolers, s’mores kits and hot beverages — both kid-friendly and adult-oriented — available for purchase.

This year, Meadow Brook Hall has reinvented their family activities and is now including visits from Santa Claus and his live reindeer on Dec. 21, 22 and 23. Professional photographer Charity Goodman will be with Santa Claus at the Holiday Walk, taking photos for $10.

During the tour, children are encouraged to drop off their wishlist to Santa Claus in the North Pole mailbox in Santa’s Workshop.

Cleo the St. Bernard, inspired by Matilda Dodge-Wilson’s pet, will be guiding tours for children around the estate.

Along the tour, children of all ages are prompted to search for and collect candy for “Cleo’s Candy Adventure.”

For more information on the Meadow Brook Holiday Walk and other activities going on this holiday season, visit the Meadow Brook website.

Congratulations, Grizzlies!

Graduating from college is a huge accomplishment. As you enter the next phase of your life, remember OU Credit Union is here to help make that transition as smooth as possible.

The same friendly and convenient service you’ve grown to rely on doesn’t end when you walk across the graduation stage.

If you’re in need of a vehicle, help with moving expenses, or anything else, we’ll take care of you.

Take advantage of our fall 2018 graduate specials.

Visit oucreditunion.org/specialoffers/gradspecials for more details!

Federally insured

by NCUA

10

December 5, 2018 // The Oakland Post

www.oaklandpostonline.com

Puzzles Across 1. Campaign contributor, briefly 4. 1992 Nicholson role 9. Word with tag or booth 14. ‘’___ Town’’ (Thornton Wilder) 15. Perrier rival 16. Cherished 17. Cunctation 20. A pop 21. ‘’___ of Athens’’ (Shakespeare) 22. Genetic material 23. Assembly line grp.

26. Like some expensive communities 28. ‘’Mazel tov!’’

35. Prevarication 36. Pennsylvania harbor city 37. In ___ (sequential) 38. A state 40. A state 43. Physical opening?

44. Huff 45. It’s a lifesaver 46. It’s a reel place 51. Contents of some urns 52. It goes in a setting 53. Indian title of respect 56. Delicate color variations 58. Davis Cup player

NOVICE

Nastase 62. Halftime destination, often 66. Pool growths 67. Boredom 68. Quirky 69. Kingdom 70. Takes it easy 71. Type of sauce Down 1. Vicar of Christ 2. Nimbus 3. Gator cousin 4. Woman treated as an object?

5. They grow when fertilized 6. It lands the first punch 7. Weariness 8. Type of cracker 9. It has solar heating 10. Stolen 11. Poet of Rome’s Golden Age 12. Gas that’s hard to ignore 13. ‘’Showboat’’ author Ferber 18. Imbibe, ‘’Animal House’’ style 19. ‘’___ dry eye in the house’’

24. Rug coverage 25. Friendly 27. ‘’Angel’’ Cameron 28. Workshop device 29. Fuel tanker 30. ‘’Super!’’

31. Spanish aunt 32. University of Maine location 33. Three trios 34. Mowed strip, e.g.

39. Mexican peninsula 40. Year, in 39-Down 41. Frodo’s burden 42. ‘’Let ___’’ (Beatles) 44. ‘’The Last Judgment’’ chapel 47. High regard 48. XXXXX, to the Greeks 49. More tied up in knots 50. Neglect to mention 53. Animated Disney villain 54. Customary function 55. Swenson of ‘’Benson’’ 57. Some children 59. Cambodia neighbor 60. Prefix for China 61. Circular current 63. Ripken, the Baltimore legend 64. Enthusiast 65. Some Spanish replies

TOUGH

INTERMEDIATE

www.oaklandpostonline.com

The Oakland Post // December 5, 2018

11

Perspectives

The views expressed in Perspectives do not necessarily represent those of The Oakland Post.

Man-made climate change is real

Ben Hume Staff Reporter

T

he fourth National Climate Assessment is the culmination of years of research and analysis by top climate scientists in the United States. Their findings were published on Black Friday, so the news may have been missed by

many who were busy celebrating with their families.

To summarize, the federal climate report focused on the ways that climate change is already affecting American communities. Wildfires, droughts, floods and extreme storms are just a few chapters focused on in the report, showing how each of these natural disasters are being inflamed by climate change and how they’re already affecting the United States.

President Donald Trump and more than a comfortable number of congressmen have questioned if climate change is at all related to human activity, while some like Ben Carson have outright denied that it is happening at all. The vast majority of the scientific community already stated that man-made climate change is real, so all politicians should at the very least believe it, but that has not been the nature of the American Legislature.

The new report was mandated by Congress and published by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, and confirms

these long held facts, this time funded by the American government itself. But will this be enough to uproot the outdated beliefs of congressional climate change deniers, and even the skeptical president himself?

Queue the Green New Deal, a new piece of legislation being spearheaded mostly by the large group of new members of Congress, including Michigan’s own Rashida Tlaib. Fifteen House Democrats have committed to the proposal so far, according to a young climate group called the Sunrise Movement. While Tlaib was one of these supporters, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) was the initial endorser of the legislation.

The Green New Deal calls for sweeping reforms of the American economy to be focused more on combating climate change, but first a select committee must be formed in the House of Representatives to form the physical legislation. Basically, there is a goal in mind, but no guarantee yet that it will be written down, though a draft of what the newly created legislation would look like has been

circulating Twitter.

Creating jobs is a core element of the plan, but the deal also emphasizes “social, economic, racial, regional and gender-based justice and equality” as a core part of the economic overhaul.

And boy is the plan an overhaul. The FDR-era “arsenal of democracy” is becoming the most common comparison, with huge government oversight and incredible production targets being the goal. For those who forgot their World War II history like World War I did, the government managed to mobilize the entire manufacturing base of the United States to produce war machines, somewhere in the realm of 300,000 planes alone.

That’s the kind of overhaul house these House Democrats are looking for, and it might be what we need to fix the environment. Without a guarantee that the United States will be in the Paris Accords, having our own standards for green energy might be the only way out.

And I for one am hopeful that politicians will finally take our environment’s safety seriously.

Can you separate art from the artist?

Dolce & Gabbana’s latest feud has us wondering if it’s possible

Katarina Kovac Campus Editor

I

n addition to canceling their major show that was scheduled to debut in China, Dolce & Gabbana issued an apology after the luxury fashion house faced a massive amount of social-media backlash over a video in which Asian models ate Italian food with chopsticks many claimed was

12

December 5, 2018 // The Oakland Post

ignorant toward Chinese culture.

I became aware of this Dolce & Gabbana controversy while scrolling through my Instagram feed. There’s an account that I follow called @dietprada, which highlights controversies and inconsistencies within the fashion industry. The account posted screenshots of private Instagram messages allegedly sent from co-founder Stefano Gabbana, and it immediately went viral.

These private messages were quite vulgar in nature. When an Instagram user asked the question of racist undertones in the video with Asian models eating Italian food with chopsticks, Gabbana slid into his DMs and wrote, “China Ignorant Dirty Smelling Mafia” along with various other paragraphs that included crude language.

The following day, the designers posted a video of them apologizing, claiming the designer and the Dolce & Gabbana account were hacked.

One could argue there’s a possibility their account got hacked, but this seems virtually impossible as the account continued their posting schedule during the hours the designer claims the account was “hacked.”

This is not the first time Gabbana has

displayed such crude behavior, though.

For the past few years, crude and insensitive behavior has become, unfortunately, on-brand for the luxury label. In 2015, they said they opposed the right for gay couples to adopt (even though the designers are gay, which adds to overall confusion). In response, over 10,000 people signed a petition asking Macy’s and Debenhams to stop carrying the brand. Protestors called for a boycott of the label, and celebrities including Elton John actively spoke out against their rhetoric.

Various Dolce & Gabbana ads seen throughout history depict the oppression of women through objectification and sexual violence as well.

In response to their racist comments coming to light regarding Asian culture, the brand canceled their “Great Show,” which they considered a “Tribute to China.” The show was cancelled a few hours before it was set to begin after several models and celebrities took to Instagram and publicly vowed to boycott the show over the issue of racism.

Situations like this beg the question; can one support the art but not the artist? Can

someone still wear Dolce & Gabbana apparel without linking themselves to designer Stefano Gabbana?

Those who respond to accusations of serious wrongdoings by artists and claim we must “separate the art from the artist” provide an appealing concept that rarely works. Of course the focus of any art must be the work, but the line becomes harder to draw when the person who backs that artwork is consistently displaying immoral behavior.

In modern pop culture, individual persons and identity are so deeply intertwined with art that the artist themselves often become impossible to fully dissociate from their art.

This begs the question, should someone who actively has displayed acts of racism, misogyny and homophobia be able to have their art separated from their beliefs?

In my opinion, it should not be tolerated and should not be separated. The influence someone like Gabbana has can be leveraged to do harm or good toward others.

The label has made no effort to steer clear from doing harm, and in doing so, should effectively be cancelled. www.oaklandpostonline.com

Sports

Photo courtesy of Bob Stevens / Xavier University

The Golden Grizzlies played a close game with a crowd of Oakland students for support.

Men’s Basketball falls to Xavier University 73-63 Michael Pearce Sports Editor

A

s Xavier Hill-Mais led the Golden Grizzlies to take on the Xavier University Musketeers in Cincinnati, Ohio, one Xavier had to come out on top. Unfortunately for the two buses of Oakland students who came to support the team, the Musketeers were able to get a victory, winning 73-63.

Despite the loss, the Golden Grizzlies made this game close from the very start. At one point early in the first quarter, they led by seven points. Hill-Mais was the leader of the offense, scoring 30 points on 21 shots, adding eight rebounds as well.

The No. 1 three-point shooting percentage leader in the nation, Braden Norris, continued his domination from behind the line, hitting four of six three-point shots. Norris also added eight assists with only one turnover, improving his already impressive assist to turnover ratio.

Xavier took the lead early in the first quarter after Oakland hit almost every shot they took, but the Golden Grizzlies still hung around. Multiple times when it looked like the Musketeers were about to pull away, Oakland was able to get a stop and hit some shots to keep the game close.

Hill-Mais had 22 points as the first half buzzer rang, and the crowd at Cintas Center was stunned as the Golden Grizzlies only trailed by five points. The Grizz Gang was alive after a four and a half hour bus ride to Cincinnati. “@OaklandMBB has a fan section of two rows at Cintas,” said Xavier student www.oaklandpostonline.com

Pat Knapinski in a tweet. “They are being much, much louder than X’s entire student section...embarrassing #PickItUp.” Xavier started off the second half on a mission, stretching their lead to 11 points, but Oakland did not give up, bringing the lead back down to three points with 10 minutes left in the second half.

A back-and-forth intense match-up continued on to the two-minute mark, as Oakland was on defense trailing by four points. After a Hill-Mais block, a loose ball wound up in the hands of the Musketeers. Xavier nailed a two pointer and Oakland missed the front end of a one and one foul shot, all but sealing the win for the Musketeers.

“We made some mistakes down the stretch that really didn’t take talent,” Head Coach Greg Kampe told GrizzVision.

“There was a loose ball we didn’t dive on, then they scored on a play that we knew exactly what they were going to do.”

Free throw shooting was key in this game, as Oakland was only able to convert on two of seven attempts at the line, whereas Xavier was 19-23.

Despite making the game close against a team that was a 17-point favorite, Kampe was not satisfied leaving the Cintas Center without a win.

“It saddens me because those guys could have walked out of here with a win against a top team and top program in the country, and we couldn’t get it,” Kampe said post game to GrizzVision.

The Golden Grizzlies have the second of an eight game road trip on Thursday, Dec. 6 in Fairfield, Conn. against Fairfield University.

The Oakland Post // December 5, 2018

13

Sports

THE SPORTING BLITZ

The Oakland Post Archives

The senior guard for the Golden Grizzlies works hard every night to be the best she can be.

Taylor Jones: a leader

on and off the court Devin Boatwright Staff Intern

T

he Golden Grizzlies women’s basketball team has some key games coming up with in-state rivals University of Michigan and Michigan State University this week.

Taylor Jones, a senior guard for the women’s team has become a leader and driving force in the success of this very young squad.

Jones, also known as “TJ,” is a Detroit native and enjoys her opportunity to play so close to home.

“It feels good,” Jones said. “I like the fact that my friends and family can come and watch me play.”

As she’s playing in what may be her final year in a Golden Grizzly uniform, she is still optimistic about how she’s grown and the experiences she’s had here.

“It’s crazy, I felt like the time went by really quick,” Jones said. “It seems like just yesterday I was a freshman.

However, I still see a lot of growth in myself with all the things I’m learning along the way.”

Last season, Jones was named the Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. From the sixth spot, she scored 11.2 points per game, and hit double figures 21 times. This season, she is averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game and a team-high 6.9 rebounds per game.

Jones is fierce on the court. She believes that when she plays she should be the x-factor. To lead her team, she

14

December 5, 2018 // The Oakland Post

should lead in all aspects of the game, emotionally and statistically. Jones believes one of her better traits is how hard she plays, and she models her game after that of LeBron James, wanting to lead in every category of the stat sheet.

“I play hard every night,” Jones said. “I try to lead the team in almost every category so I feel like I should be the top rebounder, have the most assists, be the best defender or be the top scorer. LeBron this year with the Lakers has a very young team, so he’s just trying to build the chemistry kind of how we’re doing with our team.”

Outside of basketball, she takes inspiration from her mother and grandmother. In fact, her grandmother was a deciding factor in coming to Oakland University.

“My grandma had cancer my junior year of high school and we were really far, so she couldn’t come to any of my games,” Jones said. “I wanted to make sure she would be able to come see some if I were to stay close to home.”

She also loves her teammates and coaching staff, and playing for the university has brought her many good memories.

You can catch the women’s basketball team on Wednesday, Dec. 5 on the Blacktop playing the Michigan State Spartans, then on Sunday, Dec. 9 for the “Overflow the O” game as the Golden Grizzlies play the Michigan Wolverines in an attempt to break the women’s basketball team record for attendance.

Women’s Basketball This past week, the women’s basketball team had two road games, losing both.

On Thursday, Nov. 29 the women traveled to Illinois State University to take on the Redbirds, losing by six points, 62-56. After being outscored 18-5 in the first quarter, the Golden Grizzlies had a tough deficit to fight back from. A seven point run at the end of the quarter brought the game closer, but the Redbirds answered in the third quarter, bringing the lead to an insurmountable amount.

Myka Cromwell scored a career-high 13 points, and Kayla Luchenbach added a career-high six points as well.

The women’s basketball team took to the road to face off against Bradley University on Saturday, Dec. 1. Kahlaijah Dean led the team in scoring with 20 points, and only missed one shot. Two other Golden Grizzlies scored double figures, but the 64-point output was not enough to defeat Bradley, as they lost 73-64.

Dean added seven rebounds to her statline, one fewer than the team leader, Chloe Guingrich. At one point the team trailed by 19 points in the second half, but were able to shoot 69 percent in the fourth quarter. This fourth quarter shooting performance was enough to make the game close, but Bradley was able to hold off the Golden Grizzlies in the end.

The women’s basketball team ends their two game road trip on Wednesday, Dec. 5 as they return to the Blacktop to take on the Michigan State Spartans. Four days later on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 1 p.m., they will face off against the University of Michigan Wolverines in the “Overflow the O” game in an attempt to break the attendance record for a women’s basketball game.

Track and Field The track and field teams traveled to Tiffin, Ohio, to face the Tiffin University Dragons in the Tiffin University Open Alumni Meet. Zach Stadnika headlined the road trip, breaking a seven-year school record in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.21.

The Golden Grizzlies sprinters had a good day at Tiffin, as Corey Goodloe placed second in the 800m sprint with a time of 2:02.22 and Jimmie Williams placed second in the 300m (35.68) and 600m (1:25.50) sprints.

The women’s 4x400 relay team of Chanel Gardner, Cassidy Newburg, Kathleen Pencak and Megan Earles took first at the meet with a 4:04.96 run. Paige Sanders took first place with a 17 ft., 9.5 in. long jump, and Rachel Levy was the fastest mile runner of the day, running a 5:04 mile.

The Track and Field teams both resume competition on both Friday, Dec. 7 and Saturday, Dec. 8 at Saginaw Valley State University.

Compiled by Michael Pearce, Sports Editor

www.oaklandpostonline.com

Satire

The views expressed in Satire do not necessarily represent those of The Oakland Post.

Christmas songs that grind my gears Trevor Tyle Life Editor

A

h, the holidays — that time of year where your wallet shrinks, your waistline expands and your incessant contempt for all of humanity is forcibly hidden behind an unconvincing facade of Christmas cheer.

Nothing defines the holiday season quite like the ceaseless shuffle of Christmas music occupying radio airwaves from Nov. 1 up until the end of the year.

Yeah, I know, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. But everyone has at least one Christmas song so painfully dreadful to their ears that it makes an argument with your racist uncle over Christmas dinner seem like the highlight of the whole season.

Don’t misunderstand me — I love Christmas music; but let’s be honest, some Christmas songs are so overdone, so annoying and so painfully ignorant to what the holiday is actually about that they simply must go.

And I’m not talking “Dominick the Donkey” or “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” — everyone knows those

songs are bad. I’m talking the holiday standards that everyone listens to even though it makes them want to take a ride in a one-horse open sleigh right off a cliff.

“Santa Baby” I could write an entire essay on this song alone. It’s shallow, suggestive and not at all representative of what good ol’ Kris Kringle is supposed to be. Need I remind you that Santa Claus is a character created for children? Why, then, are we still listening to a song about a woman hoping Santa Claus will be her sugar daddy in 2018?

Plus, nothing like encouraging one of the most beloved individuals among children to commit infidelity! What about poor Mrs. Claus? Have you no decency?

Special shoutout to Madonna for recording the most unbearable version of the song to date — infantilized, Betty Boop-esque vocals and all. Sexy time with Santa is not something I need to envision around the holidays — as a child or an adult. Thank u, next.

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” Nothing screams Christmas cheer like

date rape. While I genuinely don’t believe anyone records “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” with that in mind, the 74-year-old song certainly does seem to allude to it. A Cleveland radio station just banned the song for its alleged date rape references.

But that’s not its only issue — for the love of God, by the time the female participant decides to stay, it’s probably not even cold outside anymore. Just go home already!

“Silent Night” Yeah, I know, this one’s blasphemous on all accounts. Let’s get one thing straight — I do not hate “Silent Night” entirely. It might be one of the most overdone Christmas songs of all-time, but I didn’t mind until I came across Beyoncé’s version and realized I would prefer a silent night to the actual song. Queen Bey, you may be ***Flawless, but that cover was not.

“Wonderful Christmastime” It pains me to have to compliment Mariah Carey, but she kind of nailed the whole Christmas bop thing with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Paul McCartney, however, did not.

Photo illustration by Erin O’Neill

If these songs didn’t exist, trying to enjoy the holiday season would be a hell of a lot easier.

For a song that’s so universally hated, why the hell does “Wonderful Christmastime” receive so much airplay around the holidays? Some people have visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads, but I just have this annoying tune on a loop, haunting my dreams for the entire month of December.

Now that I’ve gotten this off my chest, please excuse me while I go listen to my Michael Bublé Christmas CD on repeat for the next three weeks.

WINTER 2019 PAYMENT DUE DATE The winter semester is right around the corner — start it off right and avoid any last-minute financial surprises by being proactive with all your financial business.

IMPORTANT DATE • December 15 — payment due date You can avoid class cancellation (drop) by paying your student account in full.

Consider all your financial options. An OU payment plan helps spread tuition and costs into smaller, more manageable installments and be sure to pay your installments on time. Obtaining financial aid, utilizing external sources, and/or using your own funds are other options for you. Know which charges can be paid with your financial aid (an authorization may be needed) and which charges you must pay out-of-pocket.

We are here to help. If you need help understanding payment options or how to pay for your education, please contact Student Financial Services at (248) 370-2550 or stop by North Foundation Hall, Room 120, as soon as possible.

LEARN how to avoid cancellation (drop) at oakland.edu/financialservices www.oaklandpostonline.com

The Oakland Post // December 5, 2018

15

ADVERTISEMENT

COME

PARTY WITH THE

JOIN THE STAFF OF THE OAKLAND POST FOR AN

AND

POSTIES MEET & JANUARY 10

@ THE HABITAT

7 - 9 PM

16

December 5, 2018 // The Oakland Post

GREET THE

www.oaklandpostonline.com